Autographic register



y 1934- B. A. SCHROEDER 1,965,142

AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Filed Feb. 25, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 10, 1934.B. A. SCHROEDER 1,966,142

AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Filed Feb. 25, 19:53 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July10, 1934 AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Bernard A. Schroeder, Evanston, 111.,assignor to United Autographic Register (30., Chicago, 111., acorporation of Illinois Application February 23, 1933, Serial No.658,232

11 Claims. (01. 282-12) This invention relates particularly toduplicating machines adapted to make multiple copies of sales receipts,bills, orthe like, on continuous form stationery.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an extremelysimple form of autographic register having a tear-oil bar which isnormally held in operative position but may be swung back by theoperators finger in the act of grasping the ends of stationery stripsled over the platen.

A further object is to provide means for looking a tear-oil bar inoperative position so that it will not swing back while a completed setof forms is being severed thereon.

A further object is to provide aligning means which is adapted to arrestthe advancement of stationery after a measured length has been withdrawnfrom the machine, and to automatically release the same when thetear-off bar is swung back out of operative position.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in theaccompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of anautographic register; Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional view taken asindicated at line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a broken sectional view similarto Fig. 2 but showing the tear-off bar swung back out of operativeposition to permit grasping of the stationery; Fig. 4, a

broken plan sectional viewof the machine; Fig. 5,

a broken perspective view of the tear-off bar and finger-plate; and Fig.6, a broken longitudinal sectional view of a slight modification.

In the embodiment illustrated, A designates a casing provided with abottom wall A, and a top wall A, which serves as a platen for themachine; B, a skeleton cover which partially encloses the platen A; C,aligning and feed arresting mechanism; and D, a swinging tear-oil bar.

The casing may be of any suitable construction and is formed,preferably, from sheet aluminum or the like. The side walls 10 may beformed integrally with the bottom wall A if desired and forms a supplycompartment 11 in which stationery strips 12 may be stored. The frontwall 13 forms part of the mechanism D, described below. A rear wall 14is pivoted to the side walls, by a cross shaft 14 and forms a doorthrough .which a packet of zi'g-zag folded stationery strips may beintroduced into the machine. The door is normally held in closedposition by a rear flange of the skeleton-cover B. The casing is furtherprovided at its upper rear portion with a guide roll 15 around which thestationery strips are led from the supply compartment 11 over the platenA.

The platen A may be fastened to the side walls 10 in any suitable mannerand is provided near its front end with apertures 16 through which 'thealigning mechanism C may'operate. The

front end of the platen is cut away beneath the tear-off bar asindicated at 1'7 in Fig. 4, to facilitate grasping the ends of thestationery strips.

The skeleton cover B is of U-form and open at the front end of themachine. The cover encloses the rear and marginal portions of the platenbut has a cut-out portion, to permit forms which are led over the platento be filled in. The cover is provided with side flanges 18 which extendforward and are connected to the side walls of the register by means ofpivots 19. The cover is further provided with a rear flange 20 which. isadapted to snap over the top portion of the rear door 14 and hold thesame in position. A. pair of leaf springs 21 are connected to the rearportion of the cover by rivets 21 and serve to hold the stationerysmoothly on the platen of the machine.

Any suitable aligning or tensioning means may be provided for use withthe present invention. For the purposes of illustration I have shown themechanism C comprising register pins 22 yieldingly urged through theapertures 16 in the platen by means of leaf springs 23 which areattached to the lower side of the platen by rivets 23*. The springs areconnected by means of a cross bar 24 which carries a pair of cam members25 which serve normally to lock the tear-off bar in tearing position.

The tear-off bar mechanism D, comprises a tear-off bar 26 having a pairof downwardly extending arms 27 which are pivotally mounted on a crossshaft 28 journaled in the side walls of the machine. Preferably thefront edge portion of the bar is sharpened as indicated at 26*, tofacilitate the severing of stationery strips thereon, and the rearportion is slightly rounded as indicated at 26 as the bar serves also asa guide for the advancing strips. The front wall 13 is shown iournaledon the same cross shaft 28 and is con- 100 fined for limited forward andrearward movement within the arms 27 by lugs 27* which may be struckfrom the arms if desired. The wall is further provided with'a pair ofnotches 13' so that the door may swing rearwardly when the 105 pins 22are depressed. A pair of notches 12 are also provided to permit thecam-bars or latches the stops 2?. However, when the door 13 is pressedrearwardly the cams are depressed beneath the stop 27' and when the doorstrikes the rear stops 27' the tear-off bar and door will swingrearwardly together and cause the register pins 22 to be depressed bydepressing the cams 25. A coil spring 29 is mounted on the shaft 28 andserves to urge the member 13 to its foremost position. The forwardtravel of the arms 27 is limited by stops 10 on the side walls of themachine.

To load the machine the skeleton cover B is raised so that the rear door14 may be opened to permit the introduction of a packet of zig-zagfoldedstationery. The strips are laid around the guide roll 15 and overthe platen of the machine, and a set of register perforations areengaged by the pins 22. A carbon strip is interleaved between the strips12 and its marginal portions are permitted to extend over the edges ofthe platen so that they will be held in position by themargins 18 of theskeleton cover when it is lowered into closed position.

After a set of forms have been filled in, the operator, in the act ofgrasping the ends of the strips beneath the tear-off bar, presses thefingerplate 13 rearwardly. The tear-oil bar is held in its foremostposition against the stops 10 by the cam-arms or latches 25, whichextend through the slots 13 in the finger-plate into engagement with thestops 27 on the arms 27. As the finger-plate 13 moves rearwardly thelatch 25 is depressed from engagement with the stop 27 and when theplate 13 engages the stops 2? the tear-oi! bar will also swingrearwardly with the plate and the cam 25 will become further depressedto withdraw the pins 22 from engagement with the stationery. The ends ofthe strips are then free to be grasped at the notch 17 in the platen andmay be withdrawn from the machine. As the operators hand moves forwardlyin withdrawing the strips, the bar will swing back into locking positionand the register pins will be urged upwardly against the lower side ofthe strips until they encounter the next set of perforations. When thishappens the feed of the strips will be arrested and the latch 25 willspring up into locking position. The operator may then sever the stripson the tear-off bar by an upward Jerk. The operation may be performedeasily with one hand.

The modification shown in Fig. 6 is similar to that described aboveexcept that no positive looking means is provided. In this form registerpins are carried on leaf springs 36 which also support a cam arm 37 asin the forms above. A tear-oil bar 38 supported on downwardly extendingarms 39 is pivoted to a transversely extending shaft 40 and held in itsforemost position by means of a tension spring 41. The arms 39 alsosupport a cross bar 42 which is provided with slots 42' to depress thecam arm 37 when the former is swung rearwardly. In this form the lowerfront wall 43 of the machine is shown formed integrally with the bottomwall 44. The machine is operated in the same manner as described above,that is, by pressing the cross plate 42 rearwardly in the act ofgrasping the ends of the strips.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom but the appended claims should'be construed as broadly aspermissible, in view of the prior art.

what I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination: a movable tear-off bar under which continuous-formstationery strips may be drawn; means for automatically arresting theadvance of said strips after a form has been withdrawn; and meansdisposed beneath the tear-off bar for moving said tear-off barrearwardly and for releasing said strips, said means being actuated bythe operators finger in the act of reaching to grasp the ends of thestrips.

2. Mechanism as specified in claim 1, in which the stationery strips areprovided with registerperforations, and the means for arresting theadvance of said strips comprises register-pins adapted to engage saidperforations.

3. In a duplicating machine: a platen over which continuous-formstationery provided with register-perforations may be led; a tear-offbar pivotally mounted near the front of said platen; register-pinsadapted to engage said perforations and arrest the advance of stationeryover said platen; and means beneath said bar for releasing said stripsand swinging the bar rearwardly to permit grasping of the ends of saidstrips, said means being'actuated by the operator's finger in the act ofreaching for the ends of said strips.

4. In combination: a casing having a platen over which continuous formstationery may be led; a movable tear-off bar disposed near the front ofsaid, platen; means for locking said bar in tearing position; and meansfor unlocking and moving the bar rearwardly to permit grasping of theends of the strips, said means being actuated by the operators fingerwhen in the act of reaching for the ends of said strips.

5. Mechanism as specified in claim 4, in which the tear-ofi bar issupported on arms which are pivoted at the lower portion of the casingand the means for unlocking the bar is mounted between said arms.

6. Mechanism as specified in claim 4, in which 118 the means for lockingthe tear-off bar comprises a spring-held latch adapted to engage thetearofi bar member.

'7. In combination: a casing having a platen over which continuous-formstationery may be 1% led; a movable tear-off bar disposed near the frontof said platen; means for locking said bar in tearing position; meansfor arresting the advance of said stationery after a measured length hasbeen withdrawn; and means for releasing said strips and unlocking andmoving the bar rearwardly to permit grasping of the ends-of the strips,said means being actuated by the operators finger when in the act ofreaching for the ends of said strips.

8. In combination: a casing having a platen over which continuous-formstationery may be led; a tear-oil bar disposed near the front of saidcasing and mounted'upon downwardly extending arms pivoted to the lowerfront portion of said casing; a finger plate adapted to serve as a frontwall for said casing pivotally mounted between said arms for limitedforward and rearward movement therein; a spring urging said finger-plateto its foremost position; and means for locking said tear-oil bar intearing position, and said finger-plate having means for unlocking saidbar.

9. In combination: a casing having a platen over which continuous-formstationery provided 145 with register-perforations may be led;yieldingly urged registerpins adapted to engage the perforations andarrest the advance of the stationery over the platen; a tear-off barnear the front of said platen having downwardly extending arms 150pivoted to the lower front portion of said casing; a latch mounted withsaid register-pins and adapted to lock said bar in tearing position, anda finger-plate pivotally mounted for limited forward and readwardmovement within said arms, said plate having means for releasing saidlatch and retracting the register pins.

10. In an autographic register: a casing provided with a supplycompartment and a platen over which stationery strips provided withregister-perforations may be led from said compartment; register-pinssupported beneath said platen and urged upwardly to engage perforationsin the strips led over the platen; an open-front, U-shaped skeletoncover for said platen pivoted to the front portion of the casing; atear-off bar pivotally mounted in said casing and adapted to swingrearwardly over the front portion of the platen and register-pins; alatch for locking said bar in tearing position; and finger-operatedmeans beneath said platen for releasing said latch, depressing said pinsfrom the path of said bar, and swinging said bar rearwardly.

11. In an autographic register: a casing provided with a supplycompartment and a platen over which stationery strips may be led fromsaid compartment; an open-front, U-shaped skeleton cover for said platenpivoted to the front portion of the casing and adapted to hold carbonstrips in interleaved relation with the stationery; a tear-off barsupported on downwardly extending arms which are pivoted within thelower front portion of the casing, said bar being movable rearwardly topermit grasping of the ends of said stationery; and a front wall forsaid casing mounted between the arms of said tearofl bar and movabletherewith.

BERNARD A. SCHROEDER.

